


babysitting

by killmongersgurl



Series: dadmonger [1]
Category: Black Panther (2018)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-17
Updated: 2018-12-17
Packaged: 2019-09-20 17:30:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17027004
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/killmongersgurl/pseuds/killmongersgurl





	babysitting

“Are you looking for lil nigga?”

T’Challa jumped at the sound of Shuri’s voice. He spun around, only to find her with a clipboard in hand and her attention on her newest invention. With no toddler in sight. He pursed his lips with a constrained sigh. “That is not her name, Shuri. I’ve told you many times before.”

His sister simply shrugged. A little smirk touched her lips, one that reminded him of N’Jadaka. It was clear that they were spending more time together, and T’Challa honestly wasn’t too sure of how to feel about it.

“That’s all she responds to,” she commented. “I don’t even think she knows her name.”

He pinched the bridge of his nose and looked up, ignoring her laughter. He shook his head. “Has she taken her nap yet?”

Shuri set the clipboard aside and walked past him toward the computer, waving a hand beside her head as a signal for him to follow. She typed a code onto the keyboard and the wall behind the computer began to fade away, revealing another room. The sound of their youngest cousin’s laughter immediately touched their ears as the room’s lilac purple colored walls came into view, and a delicate Wakandan lullaby flowed from the speakers.

T’Challa’s eyes lit up at the sight of the toddler waddling after holographic panther cubs. She fell over a few times, but always pushed herself back up to continue the chase. He smiled. “Is this your version of babysitting?”

Shuri scoffed. “You can’t guilt trip me. I did my job, and I’m probably a better cousin than you. I fed her, cleaned her poopy diaper, played with her, taught her a few algorithms—“

“You taught a six month old algorithms?”

“— _simple_  algorithms. She’s already showing genius potential.”

His smile grew, pride surging through him.

“I’ve been trying to tire her out for two hours to take her to bed,” Shuri continued with a sigh. She gestured to their cousin who had stopped to rub at her eyes, only to continue chasing those panthers. “I created this room about ten minutes ago and tailored it specifically to meet her personality and sleep patterns, but she’s still fighting this nap.”

T’Challa watched his little cousin carefully as her chunky legs carried her along. Although she continued to waddle about, it was clear that she really was fighting this nap. Her normally bright eyes were drooping and she couldn’t stop rubbing at them. Her round belly poked in and out of her shirt from her constant yawns. Even her little waddles had gotten slower, but she continued to walk and giggle.

“She probably misses her parents,” he mused. “Perhaps she is waiting for their return to fall asleep.”

Shuri clicked her tongue with a shake of her head. “She’s stubborn as her father. Poor lil nigga.”

“ _Ah_.”

Her laughter touched his ears as he stepped into the makeshift lullaby room. Warmth immediately shrouded him, along with the faint scent of boiling tea that caressed his nostrils. How had this child been able to stay awake for so long when he was already ready to fall asleep himself?

A panther ran past him with a little growl, followed by the waddling child. She stopped at his feet and craned her neck to look up at him. “ _Oh_!”

T’Challa chuckled and crouched in front of her. He poked her belly and she stepped forward to tug at his necklace. He paid no mind to this. “Yes.  _Oh_ , is correct. I hear you have been trying to avoid your nap time, little one.”

A gummy smile stretched across her round face as she held her hands up. “Up! Up!”

He took her into his arms and stood to walk out of the room with her. She immediately folded into him with a tired sigh, one that made him laugh as they watched each other. “You are sleepy, little one. You’ve been fighting it all day, so let us take you to bed for you nap. That way, you’ll be wide awake when your parents come to pick you up. The perfect punishment for your father for ruining your sense of identity at such an early age, don’t you think?”

Her eyes fluttered shut as little babbles escaped her, right before a deep yawn followed.

“See? Sleepy.”

She simply hugged him and released a heavy sigh before finally dozing off.

Shuri looked to the toddler with a little smile. “The Black Panther doubles as a baby whisperer, I see.”

T’Challa chuckled, looking between his cousin and his sister. “Contact Y/N and tell her to sneak a cup of coffee into her system. I want this to be a miserable night for my dear cousin.”

Shuri was already reaching for a kimoyo bead. She cackled. “I taught you well, brother.”


End file.
